Jato4x4 Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 So I have a 29g that Im in the process of setting up. I wanted around a 3" sand bed. Which around 45lbs of sand will give me. My dilema is that I have 30lbs of TE Mini Flakes, and Im going to be getting the 12 gallon "The Package" from Tampa Bay Saltwater, which comes with 12lbs of their Live Sand. I was planning on getting a pistol/ goby pair and maybe 2 clowns. My questions are; would it be better to mix all of this sand, or could I try and keep it seperate (as much as possible, lol) when I put it in the tank. I know it will eventually mix. But I was thinking I could try and keep the Tampa sand in the back, and TE in the front. THe tbsaltwater sand isnt the prettiest so Im not so thrilled about it, but I know it will add some diversity and bigger pieces for the pistol. Or could I just put the Tampa sand down first, and spread it, and then cover it with TE? Does any of it really matter for the shrimp and goby, or it just aesthetics? Sorry if their dumb questions, but this is my first foray into SW. Link to comment
Weetabix7 Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 How do you know TBS sand isn't the prettiest? Asking because I'm interested in them. Link to comment
Jato4x4 Posted January 15, 2016 Author Share Posted January 15, 2016 If you go to their price list page you can see a pic of it. Ive lived in FL my whole life and always thought the Gulf sand was just dirty looking. Yes I know its sand, so dirty is a given, lol. Link to comment
Simulated Fish Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 So I have a 29g that Im in the process of setting up. I wanted around a 3" sand bed. Which around 45lbs of sand will give me. My dilema is that I have 30lbs of TE Mini Flakes, and Im going to be getting the 12 gallon "The Package" from Tampa Bay Saltwater, which comes with 12lbs of their Live Sand. I was planning on getting a pistol/ goby pair and maybe 2 clowns. My questions are; would it be better to mix all of this sand, or could I try and keep it seperate (as much as possible, lol) when I put it in the tank. I know it will eventually mix. But I was thinking I could try and keep the Tampa sand in the back, and TE in the front. THe tbsaltwater sand isnt the prettiest so Im not so thrilled about it, but I know it will add some diversity and bigger pieces for the pistol. Or could I just put the Tampa sand down first, and spread it, and then cover it with TE? Does any of it really matter for the shrimp and goby, or it just aesthetics? Sorry if their dumb questions, but this is my first foray into SW. Where and how you place it shouldn't matter much. The bac will move to get O2, some will die off but putting it on bottom should be fine. As far as the goby, you should still wait awhile so your sand bed to fully fill with life for him to eat IMO it would not be the first thing I stock. Link to comment
jservedio Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Just mix it all together - flow will eventually settle the finer particles to the bottom anyway and the larger particles of sand will rise to the top, but by mixing it together you may speed up colonization by the bacteria (not that it takes long any way you do it). Link to comment
Jato4x4 Posted January 19, 2016 Author Share Posted January 19, 2016 Thats what I figured Jserve, thanks. Its the same thing that happened with a Flowerhorn tank I had, all the sand stayed below the bigger pebbles. I was going to try and keep it seperate. But part of the reason its more expensive rock and sand is for the critters that come in it already. So im just gonna put it on top and mix it some, and let the life that comes with the "package" do the rest. Link to comment
jservedio Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Thats what I figured Jserve, thanks. Its the same thing that happened with a Flowerhorn tank I had, all the sand stayed below the bigger pebbles. I was going to try and keep it seperate. But part of the reason its more expensive rock and sand is for the critters that come in it already. So im just gonna put it on top and mix it some, and let the life that comes with the "package" do the rest. They won't stay separate for long! It's called "Granular Convection". That's why you end up with crumbs at the bottom of your chip bag and you end up super disappointed when you buy mixed nuts after you've eaten half of them and all your cashews are gone. Even with a tiny amount of flow, they will move just by having fish and CUC doing their thing. Link to comment
Aurortpa Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Jservedio is right. My substrate has varying sizes, mostly black arag mixed in with white smaller grains. By the time I vacuumed, all the white had "disappeared" and it was mostly arag until it got mixed up again with the vacuum. Link to comment
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